A work-life strategy is a HR strategy comprising measures and programmes which employers put in place to enable employees to better manage responsibilities at work alongside their family and personal needs.

An ideal work-life strategy will contain well-thought-out programmes that cater to the organisation's specific needs, and should be accompanied by proper guidelines for sustainable and effective implementation.

“Work-life harmony” refers to a state in which an individual is able to achieve both professional and personal goals in a combination that is uniquely satisfactory. The more commonly heard term of “work-life balance” implies a distinct separation between an individual’s work and personal responsibilities, with the end goal being an equal balance between the two. However, not every individual desires work and personal responsibilities in equal proportions.

Moreover, with advances in technology and an increasing need to be “always online”, it is increasingly difficult to achieve a clear distinction between these two aspects of our lives. Instead of viewing “work” and “life” as disparate elements, we take a holistic view of life in general, with “work” and “life” as interdependent elements that are increasingly intertwined. From this perspective, we prefer to use the term “work-life harmony".

3. How do I identify my employees’ needs?

You can identify your employees' needs through:

Workforce profiling

Employee opinion surveys

Organisational climate surveys

Focus groups

In addition to these methods, as work-life outcomes are highly dependent on the individual's personal and professional goals, it may be good to have informal conversations with your team members to understand their long-term plans.

Organisations may also consider engaging a work-life consultant to help with identifying employee needs. Understanding employee needs and challenges both at work and outside work can also give supervisors a better appreciation of their teams.

4. What do I do when my employees view “work-life harmony” as more important, resulting in work not being completed and negatively impacting business needs?

We encourage employees to look at “work-life harmony” as a state in which they are able to achieve successful outcomes professionally at work as well as in their personal lives.

For a successful and sustainable implementation, employees need to take accountability for their work targets and performance so as to gain the trust of their supervisors.Employers, on the other hand, are encouraged to provide flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to enable employees to manage both work responsibilities and personal needs.

“Work-life harmony” should not be a reason for why work does not get done. Where employees are not able to meet their KPIs, supervisors are encouraged to find out the barriers to performance and provide coaching and/or counselling, as appropriate. This might include providing greater clarity on performance expectations while on FWAs, reviewing and fine-tuning FWA eligibility criteria, guidelines, etc.

5. What can I do to ensure that work-life programmes are sustained in the long-run and remain relevant to my workforce?

The first step to ensuring that the work-life programmes are relevant to your workforce is to assess your employees' needs and provide clear guidelines and communication when implementing the work-life programmes. Refer to question
3 and
4 for more information.

To sustain these programmes in the long run, you will need to establish work-life enablers to address some of the concerns raised by managers and employees, proactively anticipate the evolving needs of the workforce and be prepared to address different life-stage needs. For example, managers and supervisors should acquire new people management skills to engage their employees and leverage their strengths continuously. In organisations where employees work remotely or have operations which cut across different countries and time zones, managers need to learn how to manage flexible and/or virtual teams. Employees also need to be trained to work effectively, as increased productivity will translate to less overtime. In addition, employees who can work remotely or work flexible hours must be trained to be accountable when they work without supervision. Organisations can also keep abreast of local/global work-life best practices and learn from other organisations in the industry so as to continually improve.

Lastly, in order to create awareness, buy-in and ownership of an organisation's work-life strategy, organisations should leverage communication channels and implement a change management plan so as to achieve greater long term success and sustainability.

6. Can I obtain funding to defray implementation costs?

Yes, you can tap on government assistance such as the Work-Life Grant under the WorkPro programme. Please click here for more information.

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Getting Started

1. Why should I implement flexible work arrangements (FWAs)?

Organisations with good work-life strategies use FWAs as a key component of talent management. It can be used to:

Attract and retain talent

Motivate and empower employees

Improve productivity and reduce absenteeism

Improve well-being of workforce which leads to long-term gains in medical costs and extended employability

2. What flexible work arrangements (FWAs) can I adopt in my organisation? How do I know which are suitable?

When considering how to implement flexible practices in the organisation, it helps to consider job roles in three dimensions - time, location and workload.

Time

In order to optimise individuals' performances, official working hours can be varied. There are many ways that this can be done, but commonly organisations may provide employees with arrangements such as flexible core hours, staggered time and compressed work week.

For more details on such FWAs, refer to the
Work-Life Menu. Staggered time, for example, can result in extended operating hours, enabling companies to serve its regional customers better.

Location

The second factor to consider is the location of work. FWAs that allow an employee to work from a location outside the office can increase productivity as it reduces commuting time and pockets of waiting time. To ensure its success, employees, supervisors and co-workers should establish good communication practices, set clear performance objectives and behavioural expectations, and enhance collaboration skills of the team.

Some industries are already reaping the benefits of home-based work or mobile work. Today's technology makes it possible for teams to be connected virtually, share ideas and respond to clients remotely. This form of mobile work has the added bonus of cost savings on office rent and other overheads.

Workload

The third area to consider is workload. Organisations may create/design specific job roles based on competency requirements or to boost manpower during peak periods. For example, they may recruit part-time or home-based employees as part of their recruitment strategy.

For this to evolve in Singapore, part-time work needs to be given greater recognition and afforded the same status as full-time work. Organisations need to provide equal opportunities for training and career development, based on job requirements and individual performance.

3. How do I pilot flexible work arrangements (FWAs) in my organisation?

You may consider piloting FWAs on a trial basis to manage expectations, fine-tune the FWA policies and processes, and assess their effectiveness before implementing it on a larger scale.

Outline the behavioural and performance expectations of employees who will be working on the new flexible arrangement

In parallel, should there be a need for IT infrastructure and corresponding security requirements (e.g. access to and safeguarding of confidential information), this should also be ready in time for the pilot.

4. How do I prepare supervisors to manage requests for flexible work arrangements (FWAs)?

As supervisors work directly with the employees, it is important for them to understand their professional and personal aspirations and needs. It is also important that their decisions or recommendations are consistent with your organisation’s policies.

As such, training for supervisors could include awareness of company policies, processes and procedures regarding FWAs, as well as on leading and managing flexible and/or virtual teams.

Supervisors should also be informed of other resources available should they require more information when considering FWA requests from employees.

5. Do I have to offer flexible work arrangements (FWAs) to all employees?

With a multi-generational workforce comprising at least three generations becoming increasingly common in workplaces today, we strongly encourage you to make available different types of FWAs to address the varying life stage needs of your employees.

Some types of FWAs, e.g. staggered time, can be implemented widely across most job functions.

6. Are there any employment laws and labour legislations that I have to comply with when implementing flexible work arrangements (FWAs)?

Yes. For a summary of the employment laws related to FWAs, click
here.

Refer to FAQs on "Employment Rules & Regulations" for more information.

7. How does the supervisor benefit from the implementation of flexible work arrangements (FWAs)?

FWAs provide supervisors with additional options in terms of managing employees with different work-life needs. By meeting the employees’ work-life needs, supervisors also benefit from leading a more productive team of better engaged employees. This also helps the supervisors to retain experienced employees.

8. I am keen to encourage flexibility in my team, but I do not have the support of senior management. What should I do?

Senior management support is important to making workplace flexibility a success. Try to understand their concerns; there could be cost issues, impact on business needs, etc.

Start by reviewing the essential business requirements that your team has to meet and work out how you can demonstrate to senior management that they can be met while your team is working on flexible work arrangements (FWAs).

In addition, identify how working flexibly can benefit the organisation. For example, reduced staff turnover and training costs, increased productivity, higher levels of engagement, etc. You can suggest conducting an FWA pilot before implementing it on a larger scale.

9. As a small business with limited resources, isn’t flexible working a luxury we can’t really afford?

Introducing flexibility does not necessarily have to be resource intensive or incur heavy costs. On the contrary, smaller organisations are more likely to offer flexible work arrangements (FWAs) regardless of the extent of formalisation. This challenges the general assumption that smaller businesses are unable to implement FWAs due to their smaller size and lack of resources.

Examples of FWAs your organisation can consider include flexible hours, staggered time, telecommuting, emergency leave and family care leave. For more information on the types of FWAs available, please refer to the work-life menu.

While the nature of some jobs within certain industries may limit the type and range of flexible work arrangements that can be implemented, leveraging technology and employing some creativity may enable some forms of flexibility that work for the business and employees.

In these industries, organisations commonly provide a wide range of leave schemes, part-time work and time-off at short-notice for personal/family matters.

Organisations need to identify what would be most appropriate for their workforce and continue to fine-tune their work-life practices.

11. I would like to recruit part-timers and target stay-home mums and/or older workers. What are some of the things to consider?

Depending on the job functions which these employees will fill, there may be a need to re-design the roles to make them more appropriate and meaningful for part-timers. It may also be good to review the workflow to see how these job roles impact other areas and re-design the work flow where necessary.

It is also important to consider other HR areas which may impact part-time employees and contribute to their retention. For example, remuneration, performance measures, training and development opportunities, etc.

Do state in your advertisement that flexible work arrangements are available in the job you are recruiting for.

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Managing Employees on Flexible Work Arrangements

1. How do we manage emergencies at the workplace when all team members have different working arrangements?

Today, with many different modes of communication and tools, teams are able to connect quickly even if they are not in the same office. Communication tools such as emails, intranet, Skype, Whatsapp, conference call applications on mobile phones, etc. are commonplace and can be used to connect employees when contingencies arise.

2. I am a supervisor who is concerned about accommodating multiple requests for flexible work arrangements (FWAs). How do I say yes to one employee and no to the other – or do I just deny both requests?

It is important to consider both the impact of each request on business operations as well as whether the employee(s) meet the eligibility requirements. It is possible that some requests are more easily handled than others.

In the case where the request cannot be met in full because of operational considerations, it may be good for both the supervisor and employee to discuss alternatives or to meet half-way. It is also important to ensure that eligibility requirements for FWA applications are clearly defined and communicated to prevent misunderstanding.

Employees are likely to understand why their request may not be met but nonetheless, it is important to communicate to each requestor (employee) the decision and rationale behind it.

Inform the HR Department of the discussion and document the rationale and decision.

3. What can I do to prevent abuse of flexible working arrangements (FWAs)?

Firstly, you must establish and communicate clear guidelines on eligibility criteria and the use of FWAs. Both you and your employees should monitor the effectiveness of the FWA by monitoring job performance and achievement of targets.

Secondly, employees must be made aware that their working style matters and that not everyone may be suitable for some FWAs. If the employee is on an FWA for an extended period of time, there should be mutual understanding that the employee might be required to revert to his/her regular work schedule if job performance suffers or business operations are negatively impacted.

4. My organisation has several work-life programmes, including flexible work arrangements (FWAs) but new employees seem to have reservations about taking them up. How can I demonstrate my commitment towards work-life and increase the utilisation of FWAs?

It is possible that the work-life programmes or FWAs available do not match the employees’ needs. It is therefore important to assess your employees’ needs on a regular basis to ensure continued relevance.

On the other hand, this could indicate that supervisors are not supportive of FWAs or that employees are fearful of negative repercussions when they utilise FWAs. If this is the case, it may be good to speak with the supervisors to understand their concerns and help allay their fears.

5. What measures can I put in place to ensure that my employee is accessible immediately when he/she is telecommuting or working flexible hours?

Firstly, there must be clear communication guidelines for both employees and supervisors. For example, expectations regarding accessibility via emails, phone call, etc. and response time should be clearly communicated to prevent misunderstanding.

Secondly, you need to be aware that employees who work from home may not be working at the computer or checking emails continuously, e.g., they may use the bathroom, get a drink, use the telephone for an official call, etc. It is pertinent to note that employees who are physically in the office also do spend time away from their desk on the above activities or other social activities with their colleagues.

6. How do I ensure that my employee is working if he/she is telecommuting or working flexible hours?

As with any employer-employee relationship, you need to establish an element of trust.

Set up a structured system for evaluation and management. Performance measures and deadlines should be agreed on and monitored. Review how you measure employees’ effectiveness and productivity – focus on their performance outcomes and completion of tasks, not on the number of hours they spend at work. Communication is very important for employees telecommuting.

One suggestion is to have pre-agreed task lists or the employee could inform the supervisor what tasks he/she will be working on.

Organisations often find that employees who have been offered the opportunity to work flexibly are more loyal to them and more willing to ‘go the extra mile’ in return.

7. How do I measure the performance of employees on flexible or mobile work arrangements?

Supervisors of remote or flexible teams must set clear key performance indicators and performance outcomes of their teams, and monitor the progress and achievement on a regular basis. There must be an agreement between supervisors and their employees on timelines and deliverables.

A huge concern of supervisors’ is the accessibility of employees while on flexible or mobile work. Supervisors, co-workers and those on flexible arrangements must set up communications procedures allowing all to agree on response times, contact details etc. Refer to question 6 for more information.

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Working Hours

1. I require my employee who is currently on probation to do work beyond his/her contractual working hours. Do I need to pay him/her for overtime?

Yes, since you have requested your employee to work beyond your contractual working hours, you are required to make overtime payment at the rate of at least 1.5 times the basic hourly pay. This is regardless of the status of employment – whether the employee is on probation, or working on a part-time, casual or temporary basis. Additionally, the employee’s contractual working hours (excluding break time) cannot exceed 8 hours in a day or 44 hours in a week. The employee also cannot be asked to work beyond 12 hours, inclusive of overtime, per day; and overtime hours cannot exceed 72 hours per month.

2. I require my employee to work overtime. Can he/she refuse?

Yes, the employee may refuse. Although employees are encouraged to cooperate with you by working overtime when possible, overtime work should not be made compulsory.

3. Is it acceptable to request my employee to work for more than 12 hours a day or more than 72 hours of overtime in a month?

No, it is not acceptable. If you require your employee to work beyond the statutory hours of work per day or hours of overtime, he/she can apply to the Commissioner for Labour for an exemption. If approved, the Commissioner may impose conditions for the exemption.

4. How are rest days granted to shift workers?

For shift workers, the rest day can be a continuous period of 30 hours. A 30-hour rest period which commences before 6 pm on a Sunday will be considered as having been granted a rest day within the week even though the 30-hour period extends into the Monday of the following week.

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Part-Time Employment

1. Is my part-time employee entitled to extra pay if he/she works on a public holiday?

Yes, your employee should be paid a sum at his/her basic rate of pay for 1 day’s work in addition to the holiday pay.

2. How should my part-time employee be paid for work on his/her rest day?

As a part-time employee, he/she is entitled to 1 rest day per week if he/she is required to work for at least 5 days in a week.

If your part-time employee works on a rest day, his/her pay depends on whether the work was done at your request or at his/her request.

Payment for work on rest day is calculated as follows:

If work is done

For up to half his/her normal daily working hours

For more than half his/her normal daily working hours

Exceeding his/hernormal daily working hours and up to the normal hours of your full-time employee

Exceeding his/her normal daily working hours and over the normal hours of your full-time employee

A part-time employee covered under the Employment Act is entitled to paid annual and sick leave. Eligible parents can also qualify for maternity, paternity and childcare leave. The pay while on leave is based on the number of hours the employee works.

Annual LeaveIf your part-time employee has completed 3 months of service, he/she is entitled to paid annual leave in proportion to the yearly entitlement of a similar full-time employee, based on his/her working hours. The leave entitlement is calculated as follows:

No. of working hours per year of a part-time employee

X

No. of days of annual leave of a similar full-time employee with equal length of service

X

No. of working hours in a day of a similar full-time employee

No. of working hours per year of a similar full-time employee

Encashing annual leave

Instead of taking annual leave, your employee can agree with you to encash the earned annual leave and add it into the hourly gross rate of pay. Such an agreement must be clearly stated in the contract of service.

Note: Your employee cannot encash his/her annual leave if he/she works at least 5 days a week and from 30 to 34 hours a week.

No. of days of sick leave of a similar full-time employee with equal length of service

X

No. of working hours in a day of a similar full-time employee

No. of working hours per year of a similar full-time employee

Maternity Leave

A part-time employee is entitled to the same maternity benefits and protection as a full-time employee, provided she is eligible for maternity leave. Payment is based on the number of days the employee is contracted to work, at the gross rate of pay.

Paternity Leave

A part-time employee is entitled to the same paternity benefits as a full-time employee, provided he is eligible for paternity leave. Payment is based on the number of days the employee is contracted to work, at the gross rate of pay.

Childcare Leave

A part-time employee is entitled to the same childcare leave and extended childcare leave benefits as a full-time employee.

Government-Paid Childcare Leave is calculated as follows:

Average number of hours a week the part-time employee has to work

X

Days of childcare leave a similar full-time employee has, based on duration

X

Number of hours a day a similar full-time employee has to work

Average number of hours a week a similar full-time employee has to work

Childcare leave entitlement should be adjusted based on the number of working hours, so that it is equivalent to that of a full-time employee. It is subject to a minimum of 2 days.

Childcare leave
under the Employment Act is calculated as follows:

Number of hours a week the part-time employee has to work x 52

X

2 days of childcare leave

X

Number of hours a day a similar full-time employee has to work

Number of hours a week a similar full-time employee has to work x 52

More information on part-time employment can be found at the
MOM website.

4. If my part-time employee is sick on one of his/her work days, can the employee decide to come in to work on one of his/her non-working days in the week instead and decide not to take sick leave?

The employee should seek agreement from you to change his/her working day.​

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Telecommuting

1. For employees who are telecommuting i.e. working outside the office environment, are they covered under the CPF Act, insurance and WICA?

Central Provident Fund (CPF) Act

This is dependent on the type of relationship between you and your employee. It is important to understand the two main types of contract and what obligations you undertake as a consequence of each type of contract.

Contract of Service

Where there is a clear employee-employer relationship, the employee is covered under the CPF Act.

Contract for Service

There is no “employee-employer” relationship and the person engaged will not be a covered under the CPF Act.

It must be very clear that they are engaged for specific assignments or projects and are paid based on agreed outcomes or output. To avoid all conflict and violations of employment legislations, it is advisable that such contracts are entered into between businesses.

The table below summaries the differences between the two types of contracts:

Contract of service

Contract for service

Has an employer-employee relationship

No employer-employee relationship

Employee does business for the employer

Contractor carries out business on their own account

Covered by the Employment Act

Not covered by the Employment Act

Includes terms such as employer CPF contribution and leave benefits, etc.

Statutory benefits do not apply

Some of the factors to be considered in identifying a contract of employment include:

Control

Who decides on the recruitment and dismissal of employees?

Who pays for employees' wages and in what ways?

Who determines the production process, timing and method of production?

Who is responsible for the provision of work?

Ownership of factors of production

Who provides the tools and equipment?

Who provides the working place and materials?

Economic considerations

Is the business carried out on the person's own account or is it for the employer?

Can the person share in profit or be liable to any risk of loss?

How are earnings calculated and profits derived?

Insurance

Your organisation should inform their insurer if they have employees who work on a flexi-place arrangement, i.e. working from home or other locations outside the office, to address the insurance coverage needs of employees on such a working arrangement.

Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA)

All employees, under a Contract of Service, including professionals, managers and executives as well as civil servants and statutory board employees, are entitled to work injury compensation if they suffer personal injury in a work-related accident arising out of and in the course of work.Employees need to fulfil the required criteria to be eligible (arising out of and in the course of work).

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General

1. How much can an employer get after a successful application for the enhanced Work-Life Grant?

The maximum amount a successful applicant can receive is $105,000, over two years. The enhanced Work-Life Grant, effective from 1 July 2018, comprises two components:

FWA Incentive of up to $70,000 to incentivise companies to sustain the implementation of FWAs for their local employees

Job Sharing Incentive of up to $35,000 to incentivise employers to implement job sharing for employees at the PMET-level drawing a gross monthly salary of $3,600, prior to the job sharing arrangement​

2. What are the types of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) fundable under the enhanced Work-Life Grant?

3. Can companies that previously received funding under the ADVANTAGE! Flexi-Works! Scheme, WoW! Fund, and the Work-Life Grant apply for the enhanced Work-Life Grant?

Companies
that previously received only the Developmental Grant (DG) under any of
the three schemes will be eligible to apply for the enhanced Work-Life Grant
from 1 July 2018. However, companies that have previously received the FWA
Incentive (FI) in the Work-Life Grant will not be eligible. ​

4. How can I find out more about the enhanced Work-Life Grant?

The enhancements to the Work-Life Grant will be effective from 1 July 2018. SNEF and NTUC's e2i are the only appointed Programme Partners for WorkPro (under which the Work-Life Grant falls). For any queries on the enhanced Work-Life Grant, please contact the grant administrators:

Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF)

NTUC's e2i

Hotline: 6290 7694

Email: workpro@snef.sg

(mailto:workpro@snef.sg)

Hotline: 6474 0606

Email: followup@e2i.com.sg

(mailto:followup@e2i.com.sg)

You may also find out more at the WSG’s WorkPro​ page​​ on the enhanced Work-Life Grant.

5. What happens to my Work-Life Grant application that was sent in on/before 31 March 2018?

The
WorkPro Programme Partners will process all complete Work-Life Grant
applications received up to 31 March 2018. Please check with the WorkPro
Programme Partners on the status of your application.​

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General

1. What is a Smart Work Centre (SWC)?

Smart Work Centres are professional work facilities that allow flexibility for employees and individuals to work nearer to home and improve their work-life experience. There are currently 3 SWCs in Jurong Regional library, Geylang East Public library and Toa Payoh Public Library. They are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

2. How is the Smart Work Centre different from the existing serviced offices?

The existing serviced offices are mostly situated in the Central Business District area and commercial hubs and offer mainly closed offices for companies. Smart Work Centres, enabled by technology services and tools to facilitate connectivity and remote collaboration, provide conducive workspaces for employees and individuals to work near the residential area. Being located in the heartlands makes it more accessible for users and brings about savings in travelling time and costs.

3. What are the industry sectors and job functions that will be suitable for Smart Work Centres?

Smart Work Centres are applicable across industries and job functions, especially where the job function does not require physical presence of the individual employees. The aim is to encourage adoption of such flexible work arrangements from large enterprises to small medium enterprises (SMEs) in a variety of industries.

For example, start-ups have access to professional office facilities easily; SMEs have sustainable means of managing office space growth requirements while being cost-competitive; and large enterprises can retain and attract talent.

4. Are the Smart Work Centres open to everyone? Who can use the Smart Work Centres? Are they free of charge?

Smart Work Centres are open to all working individuals and operate on a pay per use model. Companies looking to offer flexible work arrangements can arrange for employees to work in a Smart Work Centre located close to the home of the employee. Employees and individuals who require a professional and productive work environment closer to home can also use the Smart Work Centres. Users are required to pay for the services because it is managed by a company who designs, sets up and operates the Smart Work Centres to ensure a professional work environment in line with a fully equipped office environment.

5. What can people look forward to with Regus Express*? What are the services available at Regus Express*?

Regus Express offers affordable, convenient, flexible, and fully-equipped workspaces. The walk-in business facilities include a business lounge and meeting rooms that individuals or businesses can access and use as and when they need to, with Wi-Fi, video conferencing, and printing and copying facilities. Regus Express is designed to support individuals and companies of all types, from start-ups to large businesses, to work flexibly and productively, when and where it suits you. In addition to the 3 Regus Express locations in the libraries, Regus members can get access to the Regus Group network of Business Centres with over 25 locations across Singapore and 2000 locations worldwide.

Services available at Regus Express include:

Workspace that provides professional distraction free working

Business class Wi-Fi that allows you to stay connected with free high speed internet

Meeting rooms bookable per hour, half day or full day

Video conferencing services

Printing, scanning and copying facilities

Free refreshments (coffee, water and tea) on every visit

Mailing and courier services

Access to Regus membership privileges on partnership offers such as preferential rates on hotels, car rental services and more

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

6. What are the operating hours of Regus Express*?

Regus Express at Jurong East LibraryMon – Sun10am – 8:30pm

Regus Express at Toa Payoh Public Library Mon – Sun 9am – 8:30pm

Regus Express at Geylang East Public Library Mon – Sun10am – 8:30pm

All other Regus Business Centres in Singapore are open Mon – Fri, 8:30am – 6pm.
All Regus Express locations are closed on public holidays. The above opening hours may be subject to change without prior notice given.

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

7. How do I subscribe to get access/make use of Regus Express*?

You can walk in to your nearest Regus location to enquire about available membership options or call the Regus sales hotline at 1 800 622 1563 for more information, or go to your nearest business lounge. You can also find Regus locations by visiting www.regus.com.sg or search for locations by downloading the free Regus locations app at
www.regus.com.sg/apps-and-downloads.

​* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

8. Is there a free trial for the use of Regus Express*?

If you would like to trial Regus Express for a day, you can get a free day trial pass at each of the Regus Express Centres or sign up for a free day trial pass on www.regus.com.sg/express.

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

9. How do I contact Regus if I want to know more about the Regus Express* services?

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

A work-life strategy is a HR strategy comprising measures and programmes which employers put in place to enable employees to better manage responsibilities at work alongside their family and personal needs.

An ideal work-life strategy will contain well-thought-out programmes that cater to the organisation's specific needs, and should be accompanied by proper guidelines for sustainable and effective implementation.

“Work-life harmony” refers to a state in which an individual is able to achieve both professional and personal goals in a combination that is uniquely satisfactory. The more commonly heard term of “work-life balance” implies a distinct separation between an individual’s work and personal responsibilities, with the end goal being an equal balance between the two. However, not every individual desires work and personal responsibilities in equal proportions.

Moreover, with advances in technology and an increasing need to be “always online”, it is increasingly difficult to achieve a clear distinction between these two aspects of our lives. Instead of viewing “work” and “life” as disparate elements, we take a holistic view of life in general, with “work” and “life” as interdependent elements that are increasingly intertwined. From this perspective, we prefer to use the term “work-life harmony".

It is useful for you to have an open discussion with your supervisor to understand his/her expectations on work performance and deliverables before taking up any work-life programmes.

Some common concerns include:

Negative comments from colleagues

If your supervisor has been understanding towards your work-life needs and has been able to integrate your request into yours and your teams' schedules without impacting business operations, your colleagues should understand that work processes will not be affected even if you are on flexible work arrangements (FWAs).

With that being said, it is also important that you do your fair share, be accountable for your work responsibilities and earn the trust of your team members. Maintaining and building good working relationships at the workplace are also encouraged.

Overlooked for promotions

Supervisors should appraise you based on your results achieved and objective performance criteria which are fairly applied across all employees, regardless whether you are on flexible work arrangements (FWAs).

When discussing key performance indicators (KPIs) with your supervisor, do ensure that all KPIs are results-based and outcomes driven, as opposed to time-based. If your working hours are different from your supervisor, you should make the effort to constantly communicate with him/her regarding your work progress, and provide updates once results and targets have been achieved as planned, despite the different working hours.

Nonetheless, certain types of FWAs, e.g. part-time work, may result in a change in your work scope and responsibilities. For such instances, you are encouraged to have a candid conversation with your supervisor on the feasibility of this option, the expectations and deliverables before taking up the work-life programme.

4. What is my role in the implementation of flexible work arrangements (FWAs)?

Getting ready for FWA Requests

You should familiarise yourself with the FWAs available, as well as the policies and guidelines accompanying the respective FWAs. You should also assess whether the nature of your job and your work style is suitable for the FWA(s). This can be discussed with your supervisor. Refer to question
8 for pointers to consider when requesting FWAs.

When Using FWAs

You are encouraged to use FWAs responsibly, which includes being accountable for work deliverables. You should inform co-workers and customers in advance about your working arrangements to minimise work disruptions and remain contactable during work hours. Where necessary, you should exercise flexibility in adjusting your work arrangements to meet work exigencies, e.g. returning to office for urgent meetings when telecommuting. You should also be mindful of business confidentiality when working remotely and take the necessary precautions to safeguard all work-related information and materials.

The success of FWAs is a shared responsibility between all stakeholders, whether it is the employer, supervisor, employee or co-worker.

5. What should I do during an emergency at the workplace when all my team members have different working arrangements?

There should be clear communication guidelines for both employees and supervisors at your workplace. For example, expectations regarding accessibility via emails, phone calls, etc. and response time should be clearly communicated to prevent misunderstanding.

Today, with many different modes of communication and tools, teams are able to connect quickly even if they are not in the same office. Communication tools such as emails, intranet, Skype, Whatsapp, conference call applications on mobile phones, etc. are commonplace and can be used to connect your team members and supervisors when contingencies arise.

6. How will flexible work arrangements (FWAs) affect my remuneration?

If the FWA results in a shorter work schedule, for e.g. part-time work, your salary (and sometimes benefits) will usually be pro-rated. You are encouraged to find about more about these implications before applying for the FWA.

7. Why are my colleagues’ requests to go on flexible work arrangements (FWAs) granted, but not mine?

Firstly, your employer would need to consider both the impact of each request on business operations as well as whether the employee(s) meet the eligibility requirements. Also, the nature of some jobs within certain industries may limit the type and range of FWAs that can be implemented.

Secondly, you should be aware that your working style matters and not everyone may be suitable for some FWAs. If an employee is on an FWA for an extended period of time, there should be mutual understanding that the employee might be required to revert to his/her regular work schedule if job performance suffers or business operations are negatively impacted.

In the case where the request cannot be met in full because of operational considerations, it may be good for both the supervisor and employee to discuss alternatives or to meet half-way. Refer to question 8 for pointers to consider when requesting FWAs.

8. How should I approach my supervisor about requesting flexible work arrangements (FWAs)?

You may wish to consider the following before discussing your FWA request with your supervisor:

Reasons for making the request

The proposed FWA, which includes the type of work schedule and location

How you will remain contactable and responsive to your team and customers while on FWA and how you will continue to deliver on work outcomes

Start and end dates for the proposed FWA

Alternative work arrangements if the proposed FWA is unsuitable or not feasible

Suitability and safety of the alternative work location

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Working Hours

1. I am currently on probation. My employer requires me to do work beyond my contractual working hours. Do I get paid for overtime?

Yes, since your employer has requested you to work beyond your contractual working hours, he/she is required to make overtime payment at the rate of at least 1.5 times the basic hourly pay. This is regardless of the status of employment – whether you are on probation, or working on a part-time, casual or temporary basis. Additionally, your contractual working hours (excluding break time) cannot exceed 8 hours in a day or 44 hours in a week. You also cannot be asked to work beyond 12 hours, inclusive of overtime, per day; and overtime hours cannot exceed 72 hours per month.

2. My employer requires me to work overtime. Can I refuse?

​Yes, you may refuse. Although you are encouraged to cooperate with your employer by working overtime when possible, overtime work should not be made compulsory.

3. Is it acceptable for my employer to request that I work for more than 12 hours a day or more than 72 hours of overtime in a month?

No. If your employer requires you to work beyond the statutory hours of work per day or hours of overtime, he/she can apply to the Commissioner for Labour for an exemption. If approved, the Commissioner may impose conditions for the exemption.

4. How are rest days granted to shift workers?

For shift workers, the rest day can be a continuous period of 30 hours. A 30-hour rest period which commences before 6 pm on a Sunday will be considered as having been granted a rest day within the week even though the 30-hour period extends into the Monday of the following week.

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Part-Time Employment

1. I am a part-time employee. Am I entitled to extra pay if I work on a public holiday?

Yes, you should be paid a sum at your basic rate of pay for 1 day’s work in addition to the holiday pay.

2. I am a part-time employee. How should I be paid for work on a rest day?

As a part-time employee, you are entitled to 1 rest day per week if you are required to work for at least 5 days in a week.

If you work on a rest day, your pay depends on whether the work was done at your employer's request or at your own request.

Payment for work on rest day is calculated as follows:

If work is done

For up to half your normal daily working hours

For more than half your normal daily working hours

Exceeding your normal daily working hours and up to the normal hours of a full-time employee

Exceeding your normal daily working hours and over the normal hours of a full-time employee

A part-time employee covered under the Employment Act is entitled to paid annual and sick leave. Eligible parents can also qualify for maternity, paternity and childcare leave. The pay while on leave is based on the number of hours you work.

Annual LeaveIf you have completed 3 months of service, you are entitled to paid annual leave in proportion to the yearly entitlement of a similar full-time employee, based on his/her working hours. The leave entitlement is calculated as follows:

No. of working hours per year of a part-time employee

X

No. of days of annual leave of a similar full-time employee with equal length of service

X

No. of working hours in a day of a similar full-time employee

No. of working hours per year of a similar full-time employee

Encashing annual leave

Instead of taking annual leave, you can have an agreement with your employer to encash the earned annual leave and add it into the hourly gross rate of pay. Such an agreement must be clearly stated in the contract of service.

Note: You cannot encash your annual leave if you work at least 5 days a week and from 30 to 34 hours a week.

The formula for encashing annual leave is as follows:

Annual leave entitlement of the part-time employee (in hours)

X

Hourly gross rate of pay

Weekly working hours of the part-time employee x 52 weeks

Sick Leave

If you have completed 3 months of service, you are entitled to paid sick leave. Sick leave cannot be encashed.

The sick leave entitlement is calculated as follows:

No. of working hours per year of a part-time employee

X

No. of days of sick leave of a similar full-time employee with equal length of service

X

No. of working hours in a day of a similar full-time employee

No. of working hours per year of a similar full-time employee

Maternity Leave

You are entitled to the same maternity benefits and protection as a full-time employee, provided you are eligible for maternity leave. Payment is based on the number of days you have been contracted to work, at the gross rate of pay.

Paternity Leave

You are entitled to the same paternity benefits as a full-time employee, provided you are eligible for paternity leave. Payment is based on the number of days you are contracted to work, at the gross rate of pay.

Childcare Leave

You are entitled to the same childcare leave and extended childcare leave benefits as a full-time employee.

Government-Paid Childcare Leave is calculated as follows:

Average number of hours a week the part-time employee has to work

X

Days of childcare leave a similar full-time employee has, based on duration

X

Number of hours a day a similar full-time employee has to work

Average number of hours a week a similar full-time employee has to work

Childcare leave entitlement should be adjusted based on the number of working hours, so that it is equivalent to that of a full-time employee. It is subject to a minimum of 2 days.

Childcare leave under the Employment Act is calculated as follows:

Number of hours a week the part-time employee has to work x 52

X

2 days of childcare leave

X

Number of hours a day a similar full-time employee has to work

Number of hours a week a similar full-time employee has to work x 52

More information on part-time employment can be found at the
MOM website.

4. I am a part-time employee. If I am sick on one of my work days, can I decide to come in to work on one of my non-working days in the week if I decide not to take sick leave?

You should seek agreement from your employer to change your working day.​

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Telecommuting

1. If I am on a telecommuting arrangement i.e. working outside the office environment, am I covered under the CPF Act, insurance and WICA?

Central Provident Fund (CPF) Act

This is dependent on the type of relationship between you and your employer. It is important to understand the two main types of contract and what obligations you undertake as a consequence of each type of contract.

Contract of Service

Where there is a clear employee-employer relationship, you are covered under the CPF Act.

Contract for Service

There is no "employee-employer" relationship and you will not be a covered under the CPF Act.

It must be very clear that you are engaged for specific assignments or projects and are paid based on agreed outcomes or output. To avoid all conflict and violations of employment legislations, it is advisable that such contracts are entered into between businesses.

The table below summaries the differences between the two types of contracts:

Contract of service

Contract for service

Has an employer-employee relationship

No employer-employee relationship

Employee does business for the employer

Contractor carries out business on their own account

Covered by the Employment Act

Not covered by the Employment Act

Includes terms such as employer CPF contribution and leave benefits, etc.

Statutory benefits do not apply

Some of the factors to be considered in identifying a contract of employment include:

Control

Who decides on the recruitment and dismissal of employees?

Who pays for employees' wages and in what ways?

Who determines the production process, timing and method of production?

Who is responsible for the provision of work?

Ownership of factors of production

Who provides the tools and equipment?

Who provides the working place and materials?

Economic considerations

Is the business carried out on the person's own account or is it for the employer?

Can the person share in profit or be liable to any risk of loss?

How are earnings calculated and profits derived?

Insurance

Your organisation should inform their insurer that they have employees who work on a flexi-place arrangement, i.e. working from home or other locations outside the office, to address the insurance coverage needs of employees on such a working arrangement.

Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA)

All employees, under a Contract of Service, including professionals, managers and executives as well as civil servants and statutory board employees, are entitled to work injury compensation if they suffer personal injury in a work-related accident arising out of and in the course of work.You will need to fulfil the required criteria to be eligible (arising out of and in the course of work).

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General

1. What is a Smart Work Centre (SWC)?

Smart Work Centres are professional work facilities that allow flexibility for employees and individuals to work nearer to home and improve their work-life experience. There are currently 3 SWCs in Jurong Regional library, Geylang East Public library and Toa Payoh Public Library. They are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

2. How is the Smart Work Centre different from the existing serviced offices?

The existing serviced offices are mostly situated in the Central Business District area and commercial hubs and offer mainly closed offices for companies. Smart Work Centres, enabled by technology services and tools to facilitate connectivity and remote collaboration, provide conducive workspaces for employees and individuals to work near the residential area. Being located in the heartlands makes it more accessible for users and brings about savings in travelling time and costs.

3. What are the industry sectors and job functions that will be suitable for Smart Work Centres?

Smart Work Centres are applicable across industries and job functions, especially where the job function does not require physical presence of the individual employees. The aim is to encourage adoption of flexible work arrangements by large enterprises to small medium enterprises (SMEs) across a variety of industries.

For example, start-ups have access to professional office facilities easily, SMEs have sustainable means of managing office space growth requirements while being cost-competitive; and large enterprises can retain and attract talent.

4. Are the Smart Work Centres open to everyone? Who can use the Smart Work Centres? Are they free of charge?

Smart Work Centres are open to all working individuals and operate on a pay per use model. Companies looking to offer flexible work arrangements can arrange for employees to work in a Smart Work Centre located close to the home of the employee. Employees and individuals who require a professional and productive work environment closer to home can also use the Smart Work Centres. Users are required to pay for the services because it is managed by a company who designs, sets up and operates the Smart Work Centres to ensure a professional work environment in line with a fully equipped office environment.

5. What can people look forward to with Regus Express*? What are the services available at Regus Express*?

Regus Express offers affordable, convenient, flexible and fully-equipped workspaces. The walk-in business facilities include a business lounge and meeting rooms that individuals or businesses can access and use as and when they need to, with Wi-Fi, video conferencing, and printing and copying facilities. Regus Express is designed to support individuals and companies of all types, from start-ups to large businesses, to work flexibly and productively, when and where it suits you. In addition to the 3 Regus Express locations in the libraries, Regus members can get access to the Regus Group network of Business Centres with over 25 locations across Singapore and 2000 locations worldwide.

Services available at Regus Express include:

Workspace that provides professional distraction free working

Business class Wi-Fi that allows you to stay connected with free high speed internet

Meeting rooms bookable per hour, half day or full day

Video conferencing services

Printing, scanning and copying facilities

Free refreshments (coffee, water and tea) on every visit

Mailing and courier services

Access to Regus membership privileges on partnership offers such as preferential rates on hotels, car rental services and more

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

6. What are the operating hours of Regus Express*?

Regus Express at Jurong East LibraryMon – Sun10am – 8:30pm

Regus Express at Toa Payoh Public Library Mon – Sun 9am – 8:30pm

Regus Express at Geylang East Public Library Mon – Sun10am – 8:30pm

All other Regus Business Centres in Singapore are open from Mon – Fri, 8:30am – 6pm.
All Regus Express locations are closed on public holidays. The above opening hours may be subject to change without prior notice given.

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

7. How do I subscribe to get access/make use of Regus Express*?

You can walk in to your nearest Regus location to enquire about available membership options or call the Regus sales hotline at 1 800 622 1563 for more information, or go to your nearest business lounge. You can also find Regus locations by visiting www.regus.com.sg or search for locations by downloading the free Regus locations app at
www.regus.com.sg/apps-and-downloads.

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

8. Is there a free trial for the use of Regus Express*?

If you would like to trial Regus Express for a day, you can get a free day trial pass at each of the Regus Express Centres or sign up for a free day trial pass on www.regus.com.sg/express.

* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.

9. How do I contact Regus if I want to know more about the Regus Express* services?

​* The 3 Smart Work Centres in Jurong Regional Library, Geylang East Public Library and Toa Payoh Public Library are operated by a third party operator, Regus, at a fee. The Smart Work Centres in libraries operated by Regus are known as Regus Express.